Episodes

  • Nearly half of Long Islanders support slowing the development of large data centers

    Nearly half of Long Islanders support slowing the development of large data centers
    Jun 30 2026
    Nearly half of Long Islanders support slowing the development of large data centers, according to the results of a Newsday/Siena Research Institute poll, which highlighted growing concerns among New Yorkers.Data centers house the physical infrastructure for data storage, and technology giants say they are vital to the growing use of artificial intelligence.The poll found 47% of Long Islanders back a bill passed by the State Legislature on June 4 that would put a one-year pause on the permitting of large data centers. One in three, about 34%, said they were either in the middle, didn’t know enough or refused to answer the question. About 19% of Long Islanders said they thought a moratorium is bad for New York.Statewide, the results mirrored those on Long Island with 46% of New Yorkers saying a moratorium would be good for the state, 21% saying it would be bad, and 33% saying they were in the middle, didn’t know or refused to answer, according to the poll."Communities that are making this decision are focused on this. You’re weighing jobs, energy uses, the effect on water," Don Levy, executive director of the Siena Research Institute, told Newsday. Underneath those concerns is the question about AI and whether people feel it is going to be beneficial or they are threatened by it, he said.The Newsday poll was done in conjunction with the Siena Research Institute between June 17 and 23 among 412 registered voters on Long Island. The margin of error was 6.1%, meaning answers may vary by that amount. The regional survey was taken as a subsection of a statewide Siena poll that surveyed 1,120 voters and has a margin of error of 3.6%Keshia Clukey reports in NEWSDAY that the poll comes as hundreds of large-scale data centers are popping up around the country and municipalities across the state and Long Island weigh the benefits and potential negative impacts of the centers on their communities. A large-scale data center is being proposed in Yaphank in Suffolk County.Developers have touted the need for data centers, as well as the community investment and jobs they bring, largely through the construction of the facilities.But there are growing concerns over their massive energy consumption and use of water for cooling purposes, which put pressure on infrastructure, increase utility rates and raise questions surrounding environmental impact.If the bill is signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York would be the first state to put a moratorium on the development of more large-scale data centers.Jennifer Fowkes, 58, of East Hampton, told Newsday she is "really grateful" to the legislature for passing a moratorium. "There’s so much fear, misinformation, misunderstanding," said the Democrat who participated in the poll.Fowkes said the issue needs to be studied and expressed particular concern over the impact on water use and quality because Suffolk County sits on a sole source aquifer. "I don't think a year is long enough," she said, but "it’s a great start."The question on data centers particularly "stands out," because one-third of respondents statewide and on Long Island say either they are torn, or they don’t have enough knowledge to have an opinion, Levy said. "Certainly, to whatever extent this is a political issue, they could be wooed."***A federal judge yesterday dismissed the complaint challenging New York’s Even Year Election Law, throwing out the governmental plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice, while allowing the remaining non-governmental plaintiffs an opportunity to file a new complaint.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that in a sharply worded 22-page decision, U.S. District Judge Gary R. Brown on Monday ruled that the remaining government plaintiffs could not pursue the federal constitutional claims, concluding they were barred by the prior state-court litigation, lacked standing and had no cause of action under the federal civil rights statute known as Section 1983.Barring further relief in the case, the ruling means Riverhead’s 2026 supervisor election is expected to proceed under the Even Year Election Law, with voters electing a supervisor this November to a two-year term that will align the town’s election cycle with even-numbered years.Judge Brown questioned the propriety of municipal governments participating in the litigation alongside partisan political organizations, calling government spending on the lawsuit "troubling," since there was lack of "evident injury" suffered by the government plaintiffs, citing RiverheadLOCAL’s reporting on more than $1.6 million in taxpayer-funded legal fees.Judge Brown granted the state’s motion to dismiss the Amended Complaint, dismissing the remaining governmental plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice. He also dismissed with prejudice the claims against the State of New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Board of Elections.Thus, government plaintiffs - Suffolk County and Huntington Town — have been dismissed from the ...
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    6 mins
  • A blistering heat wave will strain Long Islanders' air conditioning systems this week.

    A blistering heat wave will strain Long Islanders' air conditioning systems this week.
    Jul 2 2026
    In the wake of the fifth modern U.S. Open held at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club last week, many are asking the same questions they’ve asked following the previous four in 1986, ’95, 2004, and 2018. Was the event a good thing for Southampton? For the South Fork? For anyone?Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that when the inconveniences of the tournament’s logistics start to fall onto local residents and business people — primarily due to its impact on local roadways — {although traffic through Southampton during tournament week was generally a little lighter than the customary early summer congestion} - it always triggers questioning of whether the event is “worth it” for those who live and work on the South Fork as they await the next U.S. Open...which now is 2036 for both men and women.In an area practically synonymous with summer escape for 20 million metro area urbanites, where second-home owners and the massive service network their seasonal residency requires is already nearly overwhelming, do we really need a worldwide boost of notoriety?After all, "The Hamptons" are already America's most celebrated summer resort community.Social media posts flourished with local complaints blaming the Open for commutes that were perceived to be even more miserable than usual — and continued this week, when the removal of the temporary pedestrian bridge over County Road 39 closed that roadway starting at 8 p.m. on Monday and left westbound traffic still crawling in much of greater Southampton until after 10:30 p.m.As might be predicted, restaurant owners and those in the food and beverage industries proved this year again to be the biggest fans of the event in the business community and said they saw their revenues soar during the tournament compared to a regular June week and weekend.“Our day business was probably down 10 to 15 percent, which I attribute to people’s concerns about even coming to Southampton that week, but in the evenings, from Sunday the 14th right through until that Monday after the tournament ended, we were up 20 to 25 percent, and each night was better than the last,” said Don Sullivan, owner of the Southampton Publick House on Jobs Lane. “On that Monday after the tournament, we were mobbed — double what we normally do. So for us it was a very positive increase in business.”“The vibe in the village was really great all week,” Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger said. “I think, overall, the event was good for business in the village, in what is not always the busiest week during that period of June. I saw a lot of people in the village every day with their Shinnecock gear on.”***An air quality health advisory is in effect today for the Long Island and NYC Metro regions, where air will be unhealthy for sensitive groups.The extreme heat warning remains in effect through 9 p.m. tomorrow, for “dangerously hot conditions” with heat index values up to 112º, according to the National Weather Service said.An extreme heat watch is in effect for Saturday, when heat index values could reach 103º.Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside, the weather service said. When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that seniors and those with chronic health problems or mental health conditions are at an increased risk. Homes without air conditioning can be much hotter than outdoor temperatures.The Town of Riverhead will open the senior center at 60 Shade Tree Lane as a cooling center both today and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Know the symptoms of heat illness. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is a health emergency. Visit https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat-illness for more information.***Beth Young in EAST END BEACON tells us about some festive local happenings tonight and tomorrow.There will be fireworks this evening at both the Greenport Fire Department Carnival at the Moore’s Lane Polo Grounds, and at the North Sea Fire Department Carnival.There’s more music in East End parks tonight! Simply Stapleton, a tribute to Chris Stapleton, kicks off the Good Ground Park summer concert series in Hampton Bays this evening at 7 p.m. and the Nancy Atlas Project will be in Southampton’s Agawam Park at 6:30 p.m. And tomorrow, the Butterfly Effect Project at 1146 Main Road in Aquebogue, will hold an Independence Day Celebration with a free barbecue, activities for kids and honoring of local veterans.That’s Friday, the third of July…tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. More details are at bepgirls.org.***White-tailed deer have become overpopulated in many parts of Long Island, according to state wildlife managers, occupying suburban landscapes at such high densities that they have damaged some woodlands, played host to ticks, and caused hazards to themselves and to humans when they wander ...
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    10 mins
  • The Arts Center at Duck Creek in Springs has announced the return of its Family Night Series

    The Arts Center at Duck Creek in Springs has announced the return of its Family Night Series
    Jul 1 2026
    Massive changes are coming to the federal student loan system starting today, with fewer repayment options for many borrowers and new loan limits for parents, graduate students, part-time students and others.Maura McDermott reports in NEWSDAY that the new rules are part of President Donald Trump’s tax-and-spending legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, approved last year by Congress. They’re expected to have a broad impact on Long Island and across the country, with nearly 43 million Americans holding $1.7 trillion in federal student debt.Federal education officials have said the changes are intended to simplify the student loan system, protect borrowers from excessive debt and reduce the cost of higher education. In congressional testimony in May, Department of Education secretary Linda McMahon called college costs “exorbitant” and said they must be reduced.In many cases, though, student debt experts said borrowers will face higher monthly payments, and the new loan limits could prompt some to take out higher-cost private loans.One of the biggest changes is the replacement of older programs such as the Biden-era Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, which linked monthly payments to income, with the lowest-earning borrowers having their payments reduced to zero.More than 7 million borrowers in the SAVE plan will be notified that they have 90 days to choose one of two new plans, said Michele Zampini, associate vice president for federal policy and advocacy at The Institute for College Access & Success. The new options are the standard plan, which does not take income into consideration, or the income-linked Repayment Assistance Plan, she said. RAP requires payments of up to 10% of a borrower’s adjusted gross income for 30 years.SAVE borrowers who do not apply for RAP will be placed in the standard plan.Even in the RAP plan, a family of four earning the national median income of about $80,000 could see monthly payments spike from $36 under SAVE to $440 under RAP, Zampini said. Two other plans, the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) plans, are also being phased out but not until 2028.Other changes that take effect today include a new $20,000 per year and $65,000 lifetime limit on Parent PLUS loans. Previously, parents could borrow up to the full cost of tuition.***The East Hampton Historical Society has spent the past six months restoring the Mulford Farmhouse on James Lane to how the structure looked in 1776, during the American Revolution.Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that in celebration of the semi-quincentennial, the historic structure — part of one of the most significant and intact colonial farmsteads in the nation — will reopen to the public this coming Saturday - the 4th of July.East Hampton Historical Society Executive Director Steve Long said the project was the first comprehensive interior restoration of the historic building since the Historical Society first acquired the structure in 1948.The restoration project was comprehensive and entailed major plaster repair, carpentry and painting. A paint analysis was done about 10 years ago, which first identified the finishes in the various rooms, allowing the Historical Society to recreate the paint from 250 years ago.Mulford Farm, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally built in 1680. The farmhouse has been left largely unchanged since the end of the 18th century, with much of the framing and wood beams in the house being left undisturbed.“By modern standards, it’s a tiny little house, but by 18th century standards, it was really one of the most outstanding houses here in East Hampton,” Long said.Those who want to see the new house can take a self-guided tour or a tour with historical society staff. On the tours, they will learn about the eight members of the Mulford family who lived there, according to the 1776 Suffolk County census, and they will learn about the eight enslaved people who lived on the farm.The guided tour will begin on July 4 at 3 p.m. and those interested are asked to meet at Home Sweet Home Museum. Throughout the summer, the Mulford Farmhouse will be open Thursday to Monday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.***The Arts Center at Duck Creek in Springs has announced the return of its Family Night Series, a summer of free arts, music and community programming.Beginning this coming Monday, July 6, and continuing weekly through August 10, Family Night will transform Duck Creek’s East Hampton campus into a lively community gathering space where residents and visitors can enjoy performances, hands-on activities, food and entertainment. Programs take place on Mondays from 5 to 7 p.m. and are free and open to all ages.The series opens July 6 with Goat on a Boat Puppet Theater, a longtime East End favorite known for inspiring creativity through puppetry and interactive workshops. Founder and puppeteer Liz Joyce will serve as host for all six...
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    10 mins
  • Your donation to WLIW-FM is doubled right now!

    Your donation to WLIW-FM is doubled right now!
    Jun 26 2026
    All contributions to WLIW-FM are doubled up to $50,000 right now! If you've been on the fence about making a donation, this is your sign to go for it. Call 800-262-0717 or go to wliwfm.org to make a quick, secure donation online. Thank you!***Local, state and federal law enforcement are now banned from covering their faces in New York State while interacting with the public in most encounters under a new law taking effect today.Bahar Ostadan reports in NEWSDAY that the Making Enforcement Law Transparent Act is part of a push from state Democrats to regulate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and promote transparency. But Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — who is the Republican running against Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul for governor and last year signed an executive order allowing law enforcement to wear masks in Nassau — says the move puts officers at risk."Kathy Hochul is putting our cops in danger just to prove a dumb political point," Blakeman wrote in a statement to Newsday, later adding that masks help protect against people exposing law enforcement officers’ identities online.The mask ban is part of bill package signed by Hochul last month. Among the many changes is a new law prohibiting local law enforcement from partnering with ICE through a federal program known as 287(g). ICE has two such agreements with Nassau, one with its police department and another with its sheriff’s department.Blakeman has until Aug. 27 to terminate Nassau's contracts with ICE, or New York State Attorney General Letitia James says she will pursue legal action."We will seek compliance through the courts," James said in a news conference Wednesday. "I doubt that any municipality would be in contempt of the law at this point and I’m confident that they will comply."The new law bans the use of local law enforcement officials or facilities for immigration enforcement, but allows ICE to continue working with local law enforcement on criminal matters. Unlike the mask restrictions, this measure hasn't taken effect yet.That leaves Blakeman with about nine weeks to void Nassau’s partnership with ICE. Nassau County rents 50 East Meadow jail cells to the federal agency to detain immigrants, and deputized 10 Nassau detectives to help transfer defendants into ICE custody.***These future baseball stars are stealing a summer in “The Hamptons.”Alex Mitchell reports in The NY POST that A-lister sightings, a pipeline to the big leagues, hanging with buds on boats are all guarantees in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League which plays its games across America’s most celebrated summer resort community.“My friends are playing in leagues in the middle of nowhere. They’re pretty miserable. But out here it’s awesome,” Seattle-born pitcher Lincoln Oelschlager of the Sag Harbor Whalers told The Post. “It’s probably the best place you’d be for summer ball,” added the pitcher who attends Southern California’s Pomona College.Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League is a Major League Baseball affiliate that provides an east end alternative to Cape Cod’s iconic collegiate summer development league. Like its New England counterpart, the H.C.B.L. has produced a bevy of major leaguers, including Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes, in addition to 600 MLB-drafted players — 112 of whom stepped onto a diamond in the majors…plus New York Mets radio announcer Keith Raad. The LI league is instrumental in identifying talent that may otherwise be overlooked, Riverhead Tomcats manager Kyle McLaughlin said. “The Cape Cod League is the league where all of the high-end Division I players go, but here, you have more of a mix, you have anywhere from D-I to junior college guys,” he said. “This allows the opportunity for a lot of local Long Island players to kind of get into that same realm as the players that are in the Cape.”The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League...which has been in existence for nearly 2 decades...is home to six teams, each rooted in the character, history, and natural beauty of the East End communities they represent.The Riverhead Tomcats play on the former Grumman site and take their name from the legendary F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, a nod to Long Island’s aviation history. The Westhampton Aviators honor the 106th Rescue Wing, with the C-130 transport plane featured as part of the team’s logo. The North Fork Ospreys reflect one of the region’s most recognizable birds, often seen nesting across the North Fork. The Sag Harbor Whalers pay homage to Sag Harbor’s historic role as a whaling port, while the Southampton Breakers draw inspiration from the surf and shoreline of Cooper’s Beach, widely recognized as one of the top beaches in the country. The Shelter Island Bucks take their name from the island’s large deer population, a familiar part of life on Shelter Island.The dream teams are all thanks to league president Sandi Kruel, who finds players housing and jobs, such as giving ...
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    7 mins
  • Less than a week after US Open, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to host Palm Tree Music Festival

    Less than a week after US Open, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to host Palm Tree Music Festival
    Jun 25 2026
    Have your donation doubled with a matching grant from our Board of Trustees! When you contribute today, every dollar goes twice as far in helping us continue to bring you the news you can trust. Donate online here or call 800-262-0717.***The search for the source of the “forever chemical” that shut down two Suffolk County Water Authority wells in East Hampton has been broadened to include a 2005 plane crash on Mill Hill Lane that left one dead.Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that four SCWA wells near Buckskill Road and Montauk Highway were recently found to be contaminated with perfluoropropionic acid, or PFPrA, with two of those in amounts exceeding New York State’s 50 parts per billion maximum contaminant level. SCWA has taken those two wells offline, while keeping the other two online at a reduced use.SCWA, starting earlier in June, has been locked in litigation with the operator of a battery energy storage system, or BESS, on Cove Hollow Road, arguing that LG Chem and the East Hampton Energy Storage System failed to prevent runoff from a 2023 fire at the facility — ultimately leading to the water contamination.But East Hampton Town officials, who called for the creation of a task force in the wake of the detection of the contaminated water, have now said that the 2005 Mill Hill Lane plane crash has emerged as another potential source of the “forever chemical.” The firefighting foam used, should it turn it out that this incident caused the contamination, would be the culprit.East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said the sustained pumping may have drawn the contaminated water from the plane crash toward the SCWA wells, which are located around a half-mile from the site of the crash.Burke-Gonzalez spearheaded the creation of a task force, made up of East Hampton Town officials, State Department of Environmental Conservation representatives and Suffolk County Department of Health Services officials, among others.East Hampton Village officials also plan to contract with a private company, under the lead of Village Planner Billy Hajek, to conduct a separate testing operation from the door-to-door testing being done by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen said this will be done to confirm the results.PFPrA, the chemical in question, is an unregulated contaminant that does not appear on the list of 40 PFAS chemicals that the Department of Environmental Conservation screens for and was only identified via SCWA’s specialized, in-house measures.The location of the SCWA wells, alongside that of the BESS facility and the site of the 2005 Mill Hill plane crash, has put East Hampton Town and East Hampton Village officials in an uneasy partnership aimed at mitigating the fallout.Both the BESS facility and the SCWA wells are located in the town, just north of the border with the village, while the site of the plane crash is located in the village. Groundwater flows south from those locations, likely putting the contamination, in part, within the village’s borders.***The immigration crackdown President Donald Trump promised on his first day in office has taken hold on Long Island. As reported on Newsday.com, federal immigration agents have arrested roughly 3,000 Long Islanders, but the campaign’s effects extend far beyond those detained. Across the region, employers are losing workers, businesses are losing customers and families are retreating from public life. Immigrants make up nearly a fifth of Long Island’s population, and as many withdraw from daily routines, or vanish from the communities where they live and work, the region itself is beginning to change.Long Island's share of foreign-born residents has doubled in the past four decades, surpassing the national trend from 1960 through 2024.David Dyssegaard Kallick, director of Immigration Research Initiative, a nonpartisan think-tank spoke with NEWSDAY about increased United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity through the past 17 months. "You can expect ripple effects to the economy and also ripple effects to our sense of who we are…This is raids on communities, raids on workplaces, picking people up in courthouses when they're coming to do what they're supposed to do in registering. ...it's much more disruptive, more indiscriminate, violent."Trump’s second term immigration campaign came at a time when Long Island's immigrant population neared 550,000 and the portion of population that is foreign-born neared levels not seen for a century or more: close to 15% nationwide, 21% through Nassau / Suffolk combined.But since the stepped-up enforcement began, immigration rates have fallen into a "historic decline," according to the Census Bureau, which does not distinguish between unlawful and lawful immigration. In New York State from 2024 to 2025, net migration from immigrants dropped from 290,500 people to 95,600 people. Nationally, the rate of ...
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    7 mins
  • Certain Regents exams face scrutiny for not reflecting curriculum that was taught

    Certain Regents exams face scrutiny for not reflecting curriculum that was taught
    Jun 24 2026
    With the loss of federal funding, WLIW-FM needs your support now more than ever. Consider a donation today to help keep us going. Click here to donate online or call 800-262-0717. ***New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is projected to be the winner of his Democratic primary, fending off two challengers.The Associated Press projected a DiNapoli victory based on results from the state Board of Elections.With nearly three-quarters of the election districts reporting, DiNapoli led with 60% of the vote.Steve Hughes reports in NEWSDAY that the NYS comptroller manages the $295 billion state pension fund and serves as the state’s chief fiscal watchdog.DiNapoli, 72, of Great Neck Plaza and a lifelong resident of Long Island, has been in office since 2007.He will face Republican Joseph Hernandez in November.In the Town of East Hampton, incumbent Democratic Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez defeated East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen. Final results were still trickling in last night, but Larsen conceded to Burke-Gonzalez. As of late Tuesday, Burke-Gonzalez had 2,054 votes to Larsen’s 1,245 — or 62 percent to 38 percent. With no Republican on the November ballot, Burke-Gonzalez victory in yesterday’s primary likely determines that she will continue to lead East Hampton Town next year.Meanwhile, Brendan J. O’Reilly reports on 27east.com that Chris Gallant, a veteran from Amity Harbor, is now the 2026 Democratic nominee in the race to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District, having bested Lukas Ventouras of Northport in that primary election yesterday.Gallant’s insurmountable lead last night stood at 59.9 percent of the vote, 11,565 to 6,780.Gallant, 37, now faces two-term incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Nick LaLota, 47, of Amityville in the general election this November.***This year's Earth and Space Sciences and Biology Regents exams are drawing scrutiny from local school leaders and parents, who say the questions did not reflect the curriculum taught to students and contained errors.Lorena Mongelli reports in NEWSDAY that as a result, officials in several Long Island school districts have said they will not count the scores from the two exams, which were administered last Thursday, if they hurt a student’s final average.“We were not able to review the test until the day of the exam ... We began to see that there were some questions we had particular concerns about," said John Murphy, principal of Walt Whitman High School in the South Huntington district, one of the school districts that has raised concerns about the exams.State Education Department spokesman JP O'Hare in a statement yesterday said classroom instruction, overseen by local schools, was responsible for ensuring the curriculum aligned with state standards.“Through the New York State Education Department’s extensive, industry-standard test development processes, carried out in collaboration with hundreds of NYS teachers, we are confident that the Regents Exams are well-aligned with the state’s learning standards," O'Hare said. He said in the coming weeks the exam will be posted publicly, including scoring materials.This is the second year in a row that the biology and earth science Regents exams have been criticized for asking about material not covered in class.Timothy Eagen, president of Suffolk County School Superintendents Association told NEWSDAY on Tuesday, “This is a complex issue that deserves thoughtful examination from multiple perspectives, with students and their ability to fairly demonstrate their learning remaining at the center of the conversation...For Earth and Space Science, teachers have noted meaningful differences in this year’s exam compared to previously released versions that had been used to guide instruction and student preparation. For Biology, concerns have been raised regarding errors identified within portions of the examination,” he said.While the state Education Department will no longer require students to pass Regents exams to graduate high school, beginning with students who started ninth grade in 2024, they must continue taking the exams until fall 2027 due to state and federal mandates requiring assessments, according to the state. ***NYS Attorney General Letitia James’s office yesterday released the body camera footage of the fatal shooting of a Northampton man by Southampton Town Police officers last month on Mother’s Day.Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the camera footage shows that the officers fired six shots at the man, Steven Eastwood, as he stood over his mother’s prone body in her home, stabbing her repeatedly with a large knife.The footage from the bodycams of all three officers starts as they dash from the driveway toward the home on Topping Drive on the afternoon of May 10. The three officers had been dispatched to the property following a 911 call from Eastwood’s mother, who had said her son was at the house, intoxicated and ...
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    7 mins
  • Today is Primary Day in New York State

    Today is Primary Day in New York State
    Jun 23 2026
    We can't do what we do without you! Consider a donation today, while every dollar is doubled and get a unique thank-you gift. Click here to make a donation online, or call 800-262-0717.***Today is primary day in New York State. The polls opened at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 9 p.m. throughout Long Island.Billy House reports in NEWSDAY that while party primaries often don't attract big voter turnouts, these races could have potentially significant impacts, including on which party takes the majority in the 435-seat U.S. House, which Republicans now control by a narrow margin.In early voting, 16,480 people cast ballots in Nassau and 6,721 in Suffolk.Here’s a rundown on some of what’s at stake:In the 1st Congressional District which includes the east end:Chris Gallant, 37, of Amity Harbor, a Black Hawk pilot, Army veteran, National Guardsman, former air traffic controller and volunteer firefighter, faces Lukas Ventouras, 25, of Northport, who is attending St. John’s School of Law, and has worked on past political campaigns. The winner takes on incumbent Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) in November. CD1 is entirely in Suffolk County.NYS comptroller Democrat Thomas DiNapoli, 72, faces his first primary challenge since he assumed the office in 2007, running against Raj Goyle, 51, who has worked on a number of philanthropic campaigns in New York City, and Drew Warshaw, 45, the executive director of a nonprofit housing firm.East HamptonEast Hampton Town's Democratic primary pits incumbent Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, 64, against challenger East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen, 61. With no Republican on the November ballot, today's contest is likely to determine who takes office next year.For voter info go to Elections.ny.gov.***The Long Island Builders Institute {LIBI} has formed a coalition focused on construction issues on the East End to help reverse a trend of permit delays for new builds and renovations that have caused industry slowdowns.The group, Long Island Builders Institute’s East End Council, will advocate for more efficient online permitting systems and broader permit reforms across the twin fork's five towns and various villages, LIBI CEO Mike Florio told Newsday.Builders in East Hampton Town have been hit hard by permit delays, with lengthy plan reviews slowing projects and creating uncertainty across the industry. The Town of East Hampton has outsourced reviews to architectural firms and hired more employees to process a lengthy backlog that has left some builders waiting for more than a year for permits.“We’re looking to unify under one voice to address our regional issues with solutions,” said Michael Forst, a third-generation East Hampton builder and president of Forst Construction.Alek Lewis reports in NEWSDAY that members of the construction trade group recently met in Southampton to share frustrations and agreed that LIBI should expand its presence on the East End. The industry group hasn’t maintained a dedicated chapter in the region for more than a decade, builders said.Forst will serve as the group’s co-chair, representing the South Fork, while Fred Seifert, part-owner of Seifert Construction in Mattituck, will serve as a co-chair representing the North Fork.The construction and real estate industry is a key economic driver on the East End, particularly the multimillion-dollar luxury home market. The median home price in the Hamptons jumped to a record high of $2.4 million in the first quarter of the year, Newsday has reported. The median home price on the North Fork was just shy of $1 million, close to the record high of $1.1 million.Among LIBI East End Council priorities is increasing affordable housing and train service for the area’s workforce, as well as lobbying for policies that lower construction costs, Forst and Seifert said.“If we want our future contractors and tradesmen to be able to work here, they obviously have to live here,” Seifert said. “We need to find ways to be able to get affordable housing for them and keep our talent here on the East End.”
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    5 mins
  • Wyndham Clark named winner of US Open and Southampton begins to return to normalcy

    Wyndham Clark named winner of US Open and Southampton begins to return to normalcy
    Jun 22 2026

    We can't keep doing what we do without the support of our community. Become a member today online by clicking here.

    ***

    The 126th U.S. Open Golf Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club has concluded with Wyndham Clark the winner…he led through all four rounds and while the Denver, Colorado native was clearly not yesterday’s crowd favorite, Clark persevered and last night brought home his second National Championship trophy. The U.S. Open has now been played here in Southampton six times. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club…founded in 1891…hosted the second U.S. Open championship in 1896 then again in 1986, 1995, 2004, 2018, and 2026.

    United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan opened Sunday evening’s closing ceremony by expressing gratitude to the many local and regional governmental agencies who worked together effectively to make this international sporting event a major success…including the State of New York, Suffolk County, the host town of Southampton, the village of Southampton, the Shinnecock Tribal Nation and the Long Island Railroad.

    Whan jokingly apologized to south fork residents "for what we did to you this week" due to tournament congestion…although overall traffic through Southampton was a little lighter than customary for the third week of June.

    Whan also offered a huge thank you to the 3,300 volunteers…most of whom were from Long Island.

    Wyndham Clark, now the 2026 U.S. Open champion, will be awarded $4.5 million, while the USGA’s total prize purse this week at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club was $22.5 million.

    ***

    What goes up must come down.

    After the 126th U.S. Open ended last night at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, local attention shifted to what comes next at Shinnecock Hills and the surrounding areas.

    Ben Dickson reports in NEWSDAY that the process of restoring normalcy across Southampton has already begun.

    Long Island native John Ryan Celiberti, the USGA’s assistant director of U.S. Open championships, told Newsday during Sunday’s final round that “we’ll hopefully get Shinnecock back to being Shinnecock probably [in] August.

    “The circus comes in, the circus goes out,” he said. “But the next two months are really a process of getting everything out.”

    Celiberti said yesterday, “We got the Palm Tree Festival over at Shinnecock Nation [this coming Saturday], so that’s my priority Monday making sure all of our supplies are cleared off over the next two days so that they can start preparing for their event” on tribal territory.

    The construction that began in earnest in March — pushed back a bit because of the late-February blizzard, which produced snow drifts almost up to the second floor of the Shinnecock Hills clubhouse and completely shut down Tuckahoe Road — was completed with its final touches on June 14...the day before tournament week began.

    Shinnecock Hills members should be able to get back on the course sometime within the next week. Forklifts and vehicles might be driving around to clean things up, but that shouldn’t interrupt play.

    Celiberti said Tuckahoe Road south of the course “probably” will reopen Monday afternoon and that Tuckahoe Road through the golf course will reopen this coming Friday.

    The USGA and local authorities worked to create a “contraflow lane” on Route 27, which turns into County Road 39, for designated vehicles to get to and from the course. That was important to avoid “The Trade Parade” of vehicles that come out to the Hamptons on a daily basis.

    Additional Long Island Rail Road services also ran to the temporary Shinnecock Hills platform, built across the street from the course — adjacent to Stony Brook’s Southampton campus — and connected via a pedestrian bridge.

    The LIRR during tournament week was the Open’s most-used mode of transportation.

    Yesterday U.S.G.A. officials said almost 60% of fans took the LIRR to the final round of the championship.

    Overall, the U.S.G.A. views the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock as a major success and plans on recap meetings with local authorities to come up with learning lessons in preparation for ten years from now - June of 2036 - when Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will host both the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens in back-to-back weeks.

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